


A Lapse

by rubyofkukundu



Series: Polite Encounters [2]
Category: Jonathan Strange & Mr Norrell & Related Fandoms, Jonathan Strange & Mr Norrell - Susanna Clarke, Taboo (TV 2017)
Genre: Angst, Crossover, M/M, Spoilers
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-02-12
Updated: 2017-02-12
Packaged: 2018-09-23 18:45:12
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,263
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9671336
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/rubyofkukundu/pseuds/rubyofkukundu
Summary: What inspired Childermass to visit James Delaney? And what happened afterwards?





	

**Author's Note:**

> Warning: contains spoilers for episode 3 of "Taboo".

In a courtyard within the bounds of the city there lay a nondescript building, and within this building there lay a molly house. Were we to climb the stairs and pay our fee, we would find that within the molly house there lay several bed-chambers and that within those bed-chambers there lay several men.

One of the bed-chambers was small; it contained only a dressing table, a chair beside the fire, and a bed with faded silk curtains. Upon the bed were two men fucking.

At least, one must assume that they were men from their private parts, but while one of the men was in a shirt, the other wore instead an old-fashioned woman's dress, which had been pulled up to his hips so that, lying on his back as he was, he could spread his legs the wider as he was breached.

The man in the shirt, on top, hips rolling, was a rather unhandsome sort-of-a-person by the name of John Childermass. His ragged black hair, long, and as old-fashioned as his companion's dress, was sticking to his face with sweat. The other man, the one in the dress, had many names in this house, but were you to find him neat and trim and in the office you would discover that there he went by the name of Michael Godfrey.

It would not be false to say that both men appeared to be enjoying their encounter. Childermass' hands, one of them grasping at Godfrey's hip, were trembling, and Godfrey's back was arching, his head pressing down into the pillow. They were none of them silent neither. Childermass was grunting, groaning sometimes, with every thrust of his hips. Godfrey, meanwhile, was emitting a series of profanities and encouragements, each one at a higher pitch than the last.

"Oh. Oh." Godfrey's throat shook through a swallow. "Yes. Oh." He clenched his hands in the blankets below him, his dress crumpling with his shifting thighs.

"Fuck," said Childermass in reply. "Fuck. Fuck."

"Oh, Christ," said Godfrey, his head tipping back further, his flushed neck exposed. "Oh. Oh!" he exclaimed, as if with some surprise. His hands scrabbled in the blankets. "Oh, yes. Oh! Oh! James!"

Childermass, breathing heavily, slowed his thrusts. He swallowed and looked at his companion.

Godfrey's eyes went wide. "Oh God!" he whispered. He brought shaking hands up to cover his open mouth, his lips tugging downwards. "I am sorry!" His breath hitched. "I am so sorry!"

Childermass began thrusting again.

"John," said Godfrey hoarsely and closed his eyes.

And so they continued fucking, Childermass still grunting, and Godfrey's back still arching, but Godfrey made no more noise, for he had now clamped his hands firmly over his mouth, his fingernails digging into his cheeks.

It was not long before Childermass reached his end, his shoulders shuddering and his hips driving forward in one, two, three long strokes. Then he collapsed down onto the bed, breathing heavily into the silk at Godfrey's stomach.

But Childermass did not lie there for long. Soon he had sat back up, removed his cock from within Godfrey and replaced it with two of his fingers. These fingers were thrust and curled, and Childermass' other hand was placed upon Godfrey's private piece in a twisting grip.

Godfrey let out a muffled moan from behind his hands and writhed upon the bed.

This continued for some time, with Godfrey writhing and moaning and whimpering, his heels dragging across the blankets, until he tensed, all of a sudden, and spilled himself in Childermass' hand.

Panting, Godfrey looked at Childermass, and Childermass looked at Godfrey in return.

Godfrey turned away.

Childermass stood and washed his hands in the basin of water upon the dressing table. Then he picked up his stockings and breeches from the floor.

If we happened to observe Godfrey at this moment, we would notice that his eyes were damp and red-rimmed.

Childermass sat on the bed to put on his stockings.

"I am sorry," said Godfrey, his voice thick. He glanced at Childermass, then looked away. "I am so sorry."

Childermass stood to pull up his breeches. "It is nothing," said he, buttoning them.

"I..." said Godfrey into the pillow. "It is just that..." He sighed. "I have been thinking of him a lot: Delaney." Godfrey sniffed. "It has been preying on my mind, you see: what would happen to me if I were caught."

Childermass sat back down. He looked to Godfrey and reached out to run a hand over Godfrey's ankle. "Michael..."

Godfrey pulled his foot away. "No!" he cried, hunching in on himself. Then he took a shaky breath and turned to look at Childermass over one shoulder. "I am sorry," Godfrey said again. He closed his eyes, pressing his face back into the pillow. "I am so very sorry."

Childermass breathed out. He finished dressing and left.

***

Three days later, Childermass was back at the molly house. Godfrey had once again shown him into the small bedroom.

"Michael," said Childermass, sitting them both down on the bed. He smiled a crooked smile. "You need fear James Delaney no longer."

Godfrey went rigid. His face paled. "Oh God." He looked at Childermass with wide, searching eyes. "Oh God. What have you done?"

The smile fell from Childermass' face. "I have done nothing," said he. Glancing down, he reached across and took Godfrey's hand. "I have done nothing. Delaney is not hurt; he is fine."

Godfrey frowned at him. "But you must have done something."

"Delaney and I had a conversation," said Childermass. "That is all. We came to an agreement. He will blackmail you no longer; he gave me his word."

"But what did you do to make him agree to that?" Godfrey pulled his hand free. "Oh, John," he said quietly, looking to his knees. "What have you threatened him with?"

"Nothing." Childermass tried to catch Godfrey's eye, and smiled when Godfrey obliged. "Nothing. Instead I showed him a way that he could find all the information he wanted about the East India Company without him having to trouble you about it."

Godfrey looked at him. "Magic?"

Childermass smiled some more. "Aye."

Godfrey did not smile in return. He looked down again. "But it will still be the same. If James is caught with Company secrets then they will not think it due to magic; they will look to me."

"And if they do," said Childermass, "you must show them this." He sat back, reached into his coat and pulled out a sealed letter which he put into Godfrey's hands.

Godfrey turned it over and looked up. "What is it?"

"A confession from me," said Childermass simply. "Stating that I have taught Delaney the magic that allows him to spy upon the Company. Give them this and the blame will fall solely upon my shoulders."

"But why should I want to do that?" asked Godfrey, his voice catching. "I do not wish to hurt you."

"And you won't." Childermass smiled again, this one rather more wry. "Norrell and I have powerful friends. If the Company wish to touch us they will have a fight on their hands; a fight they will not win."

At this, Godfrey's mouth pulled down. He covered his face with one hand and let out a sob. "Oh, John," he said thickly. "I do not deserve this kindness, and from you least of all."

Childermass took up Godfrey's other hand, the one still holding the letter. "Michael," said Childermass. "Michael, you deserve everything."

Godfrey sobbed harder as Childermass pulled him into his arms and held him.


End file.
